The present invention relates to a transfer system that uses conveyor belts. The system is most useful in the medical field, although other uses are contemplated. In the medical field the system is most useful in transferring aged, sick or invalid persons from one location to another for various reasons. It is known that more than one person is required to move a patient which is very cumbersome and creates a great discomfort for the patients. Various devices have been developed in the transfer of people, especially disabled patients, from one location to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,757 shows a moving sidewalk using two opposed en belts having upper and lower runs operating in opposite directions while both inner runs are contiguous to each other and running in the same direction. This basic principle is used in the invention at hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,670 discloses opposing belts to using a small upper roller assembly that is disposed for receiving a patient in which the patient is eased onto the small roller assembly and then it provides for pulling the patient onto a stretcher as the stretcher moves under the patient. A crank arm turns a worm gear to drive the lower belt which then drives the upper belt by frictional engagement therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,104 illustrates a carrying assembly to lift and transport a disabled person. The device includes two lateral plates which are moved toward each other and under the patient who remains in a seated portion
U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,152 shows a patient transfer device which includes two roller supported endless belts disposed one above the other. The lower endless belt drives both belts toward the patient while the upper endless belt is moving in the opposite direction via drive means attached to the plurality of the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,818 shows a device for moving a recumbent person includes a base plate, an insertion plate and a pair of rollers having a belt trained around the same which belt can be wound to and from each of the rollers while the belt is trained around the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,917 shows a device for lifting or positioning a person which includes a base, a multiplicity of supporting elements for the body of the person and positioning device connecting the base to the supporting elements. This device does use any opposing conveyor belts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,279 discloses a multiple belt conveying device that includes at least one endless inner belt which is movably wound on at least one substrate plate further included is an outer endless belt movably mounted on a front roller. The outer belt movably overlaps the with an inner surface of the outer belt frictionally contacting the outer frictional surface of the inner belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,321 shows the use of opposing belts as a means for moving objects. An endless upper and an endless lower belt are each trained around a pair of rollers while the inner surface of the upper belt and the upper surface of the inner belt are in contact with each other and are moving in unison when one of the rollers is driven in either direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,748 discloses a body turning apparatus. This apparatus does use any endless conveyors to accomplish the task at hand.
An object of the invention is to construct a device that can easily pick up any object, particularly a patient, without having to move the patient, lift the patient and transport the patient by either an overhead conveyor mechanism or an apparatus that is movable on the ground. The invention includes a conveyor system making the use of at least two endless conveyor belts, although one of the ends of the endless of the belts is tethered at the point of origin that are trained around a pair of front and a pair of rear rollers.
The overall system executes at least four motions, that is, number one, to move the patient along a track to a desired location, that is anywhere in a building.
Number two to pick up a patient in any location that is, from a mattress, a chair, a floor, from a bath tub or from a wheel chair.
The second motion is to transport the patient from any point in a building, by an overhead transport system.
The third motion is to move a patient vertically from a low position, that is, from the floor to a position such as a chair or the entrance into a bathtub.
The fourth motion is to employ a seat under the patient to engage the bottom of the patient to be freed from any encumbrance the patient is sitting on.